The Nation Newspaper

Tag: workers

  • Workers ground Caverton Helicopters over pay

    Aircraft pilots and engineers acting under the aegis of National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE)  yesterday grounded the operations of Caverton Helicopters as part of the one-day warning strike to protest payment disparity in salaries between expatriate and Nigerian pilots and engineers.

    The strike affected the company’s offices in Shell, NAF Base in Port Harcourt, as well as Warri and Lagos.

    The warning strike which affected the operations of Caverton was enforced by NAAPE members.

    The warning strike was equally to express the union’s discomfort over the refusal by the helicopter company to commit to pay remunerations being converted from dollars to naira at prevailing inter-bank rate as previously agreed between the management of the rotary wing and NAAPE.

    Its General Secretary, Ocheme Aba, stated that it was worrisome that Caverton Helicopters is discriminating between expatriate and Nigeria pilots and engineers in the payment of salaries.

  • Glamour as District rewards workers, pupils

    It was glamour at a level never seen before in the history of education merit awards programmes in Lagos State when Education District I honoured deserving workers, retirees, schools and pupils. It was at a star-studded programme at the Excellence Hotel and Conference Centre, Ogba, penultimate Wednesday.

    The banquet hall of the hotel was tastefully furnished – a far cry from the Government College, Agege school hall that had hosted previous editions of the honours programme. The guests dressed the part – with principals of the over 300 junior and senior secondary schools in the district turning up in suits and matching ties for men, and scarves for women.

    The officiating of the programme was also different.  Unlike in the past when awardees were known before the event, there was a surprise element in this year’s edition.  In each category, the names of shortlisted candidates were listed before the winners were announced.  Once announced, the plaques were borne to the stage by pupils from various schools in the district who had performed well in academics, competition, sports and other areas of life.

    The brain behind the colourful event was Dr Olufolayimika Ayandele, the Tutor-General/Permanent Secretary (TGPS) of the district, who said the programme was made possible because of the support of key stakeholders in the state, including the government, Hon Yinka Ogundimu, a member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, as well as Zenith Bank, Arik Plc and MTN, among others.

    Dr Ayandele got them to sponsor various awards – the most glamourous of which was two Arik Airline return tickets to any West African country as well as N100,000 spending money presented to the best principals, junior and senior categories.

    The prizes were picked by Mrs Adeniyi Ladigbolu of Keke Junior High School; and Mrs Modupe Akinbami of Ijaiye Housing Estate Senior High School, Ifako-Ijaiye.

    The best school award, which Dr Ayandele said was endowed by Ogundimu, went to Iju Junior Grammar School.  She directed that the plaque be placed in a vantage position so that pupils and workers can feel they contributed to the success story and work hard to maintain it.

    Iju Junior Grammar School also won the best Vice Principal Award (Mrs Edema Titilayo), and the best teacher award, junior category (Mrs  Philips Taiwo); while Abibat Mogaji Millennium Senior High School, Agege, produced the best teacher in senior category, Mr Toluwalope Odusanya.

    Pupils recognised included Tobiloba Opadotun of Vetland Junior Grammar School, who had the best result in the 2015 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE); Calistus Okonkwo of Ijaiye Housing Estate Senior High School, the best candidate in the 2015 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

    A new category of award, the Lifetime Achievement Award, was presented to Mrs Florence Ogunfidodo, Dr Ayandele’s predecessor.

    In her address, Dr Ayandele praised the pupils, teachers and other administrative workers for contributions to the district’s success – measured by the number of awards the school had received in recent times.

    The TG/PS said she met a high standard when she was posted to the district about three months ago, and is working hard to build on it.

    “By the time I got here, I knew I had a high standard to meet up,” she said.

    Speaking on the selection process for the awards, Dr Ayandele said the selection panel only accepted online applications.

    “We had 250 applications online for the best teacher award.  About 125 were screened because they had evidences to back their applications. One thing is certain, all teachers are valuable. Everybody has contributed positively, but today we are celebrating everybody and public schools, to showcase that public school is a great place for our children and that anybody coming in to work would have its own benefit, so everybody is a winner,” she said.

    In her keynote address, the Deputy Governor, Dr Idiat Adebule, urged the recipients to keep up the good work by working even harder.

    “The recognition you have been accorded today should continue to spur you and others to exhibit uncommon sense of responsibility and greater commitment to duty.  See the award as a challenge to do more and be committed to what you know how to do best,” said Adebule, who was represented by Mrs Ajoke Gbeleyi, Director, Private Education and Special Programmes, Lagos State Ministry of Education.

    Praising the teachers, Ogundimu said they cannot be rewarded enough for their contributions.  He however urged them to do more to reduce the number of pupils that drop out.

    “We need more from you.  We have a lot of social problems.  Many children are running away from home/school.  We have problem with pickpockets; some have graduated to armed robbery.  If only we can catch them young and train them, it will reduce the money government has to spend on security,” he said.

    Ogundimu was presented with a self portrait produced by Daniel Ogunde, a special needs pupil attending the Sanngo Inclusive Junior Secondary School.

  • Crisis hits Nigeria-SaoTome $300m deal over sack of 35 workers

    Crisis hits Nigeria-SaoTome $300m deal over sack of 35 workers

    A crisis of confidence has hit Nigeria-Sao Tome and Principe Joint Development Authority (JDA), following alleged arbitrary sack of 35 workers by the management.

    The crisis is threatening the $300 million oil deal between the two nations.

    Of those sacked, 16 are Santomeans. This led to a diplomatic tension between the two countries.

    It was gathered that a former presidential aide in the administration of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan was calling the shot through a stooge he put in JDA in 2010.

    The IDA topshot was sacked by ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo but Jonathan’s former aide brought him back.

    The government of São Tomé and Principe was said to be unhappy with the development in the JDA.

    But the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Hajiya Khadijat Ibrahim, was said to be looking into the petitions against the management.

    She is the nation’s leader of delegation to JDA and empowered by the treaty to look into any infractions.

    The treaty between the two countries led to the auctioning of five blocks in 2004, 2006 and 2007. Over $300 million.

    Production was, however, yet to start due to administrative bottleneck and the two nations were yet to earn post-licensing round profit.

    The setback was attributed to the mismanagement of the JDA by the officers in charge.

    The management crisis reached its peak in June, leading to the exit of some Santomeans.

    According to a document obtained by our correspondent, the management laid off 35 of the 56 workers in one day without the permission of the Joint Ministerial Council( JMC) and in violation of Article 7(2) (b) of the treaty.

    The workers were given letters in June, which some refused to collect.

    Although the letter indicated that the JDA was scaling down, it was gathered that the workers were asked to go after a disagreement between the management and workers.

    The points of disagreement are:

    • alleged diversion of N900 million voted for JDA Secretariat in Abuja to private use:
    • alleged collection of N260 million bribe from contractors handling the secretariat;
    • deliberate frustration of JDA activities;
    • undermining  the Joint Ministerial Council (JMC) by the Executive Director, Finance and Administration, Kashim M. Tumsah;
    • Witch-hunt of workers through abuse of disciplinary procedures;
    • non-auditing of JDA’s account since 2008; and
    • budget for LPG plant now being used for administrative purpose.

    A copy of the sack letter, obtained by our correspondent, was signed by Chairman of the Board/ED C and I, Luis Prazeres and Tumsah.

    The letter, exclusively obtained by The Nation, reads: “As you are aware, the JDA has been facing serious challenges due to dwindling revenue and lack of contribution by the state parties .

    “You would recall that at the Board/ Staff retreat in February, the board published finances of the organisation and informed staff that unless funding is received, the current funds could only sustain operations till June 2016 and the JDA will be left with no option but to scale down its activities and staffing.

    “The financial situation has been further exacerbated by the absence of an officially constituted JMC and lack of response from the states parties on the JMC constitution and funding challenges.

    “Furthermore, the level of operational activities in the JDA/JDZ does not justify the current staffing, emolument and overhead costs.

    “Thus, the board and management consider it necessary and expedient to scale down operations of the JDA temporarily to review the staffing, structure and funding of the JDA to ensure and sustain  its continued survival in line with the treaty.

    “Consequent upon the above, the board has decided that you should not report for work, effective Monday, June 13, 2016, due to service exigencies pending the conclusion of the restructuring and reorganisation of the JDA and/ or when the funding challenges improve.

    “While you are at home, you will not be entitled to any pay due yo lean finances of the organisation. You will receive further communication in due course.

    “Please, note that this letter supersedes and replaces the previous one sent to you regarding your annual leave.

    “You are to hand over JDA property in your possession to your head of unit or department as the case may be on or before June 15, 2016.”

    A top source, who spoke in confidence, said: “The JDA is now a shadow of itself and the overall objective of earning more oil revenue had been derailed by mismanagement.

    “For instance, it is unthinkable that a management will sack 35 of 56 staff in one fell swoop without recourse to the Joint Ministerial Council (JMC).  Article 7(2) (b) of the Treaty says the functions of council shall include the following to approve rules, regulations (including staff regulations) and procedures for the effective functioning of the authority.”

    “The sacked staff have good records of performance. No previous query other than mutual suspicion. The management was just rattled by grouses bordering on alleged waste of N900 million on the uncompleted secretariat of JDA.

    “The sacked staff, including Santomeans, were baffled by lack of commitment to transparency and probity. Most of them were subjected to inhuman treatment and they had to sell their cars to return to their country.

    “Since we earned $300 million from licensing rounds in 2004, 2006 and 2007, we have not recorded any post-licensing profit.

    “In fact, the budget for LPG plant is now being used to run the administration of the JDA.

    “The Santomeans are frustrated, Nigerians in JDA are disenchanted. Yet staff cannot talk. At a point, the director  of Monitoring and Inspection Unit in JDA was locked out of his office.”

    Another highly-placed source said: ”Despite a new government in place, a former presidential aide under ex-President Goodluck Jonathan still controls the JDA. In 2010, the aide reinstated a deputy director, who was sacked by ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo.

    “They now take any decision on JDA to the former aide, who is undermining the new administration.”

    It was learnt that Hajiya Ibrahim was in the receipt of petitions against the management of JDA.

    “The ball is in the court of the minister, who is resolute to address problems of JDA, including the illegal sack of staff.

    “Although one of those behind the crisis is said to be from Yobe State as the minister, her level of commitment to the resolution of the crisis has been encouraging. We want her to put the nation above any other interest.

    “At a time Nigeria is looking for more oil revenue, this Treaty must be allowed to work.”

  • Oyo workers vow to continue strike

    Oyo workers vow to continue strike

    The Oyo State Chapter of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) yesterday vowed to continue with the ongoing industrial action in spite of Governor Abiola Ajimobi’s reopening of public primary and secondary schools.

    Its Chairman, Comrade Waheed Olojede, in a telephone interview, said teachers would not return to the classroom until government meets workers’ demands, which necessitated the strike.

    Ajimobi ordered the closure of schools last month following violent protest by pupils of some schools in Ibadan over claims that the governor was planning to sell some public schools.

    But the government has since insisted the new proposal was aimed at partnering with private organisations, alumni associations and other institutions on management of 31 out of 631 public schools.

    The organisations, the government said, would be those with rich history of managing schools.

    Ajimobi, on Saturday, announced that schools would be reopened today, but excluded 17 schools in Ibadan, which participated in the protest.

    But Olojede said yesterday that although the NLC had no power over the schools, teachers would stay away from the schools until the government acceded to the workers’ demands.

    His words: “This reopening of schools does not in any way affect the ongoing strike in the state. Our struggle towards payment of arrears of salaries and pensions for workers and pensioners is still potent and intact.

    “The entire workers in the state, teachers in particular, will not return to work. They should wait for the directive from the national NLC that asked them out of work since June 16. Under no circumstance should any worker go to work until otherwise directed by labour leaders.”

    The union leader, however, said a meeting between labour leaders and government had been scheduled for tomorrow.

    He noted that while labour would attend the meeting, teachers should entertain no fear of intimidation from government.

    “We have received invitation from government to a meeting on Tuesday at the office of the Head of Service to the state government. We are prepared to attend the meeting. We have resolved that government should inaugurate the two committees on labour and salaries on Tuesday (today) and to commence work immediately.

    “Our strike began before the closure of schools. So, there is no link between the two. Teachers should not entertain any fear about their job. The strike is still on. We were not party to the closure of schools; so, we don’t know anything about the government’s decision to reopen the schools,” Olojede said.

  • Students, workers kick against Dickson’s disposition to state varsity

    The only Bayelsa State-owned university, the Niger Delta University (NDU), is in dire straits. The institution located at the Wilberforce Island Amasoma, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, has been shut down since April, 2016 following the inability of the state Governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson, to manage his financial obligations to the school.

    All categories of workers in the university are on strike. Dickson has been unable to pay them their salaries for about seven months. The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT),  the Non Academic Staff of Universities (NASU), have all downed tools.

    But at the receiving ends of this industrial dispute are the students whose academic activities and future aspirations have been suspended indefinitely. The devastated students were driven out of school. Many of them roam the streets while others engage in menial jobs for survival.

    The students of NDU have however, reacted to the statement credited to Dickson that the institution should seek ways of funding itself. The governor recently in a meeting told the Governing Council of the school to stop depending on the state government for its funding.

    After the meeting, a statement sent through the office of Dickson’s Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson, said the governor insisted that his administration would no longer sustain the existing funding system because of the present poor financial situation of the state.

    The governor said a situation where the state government’s monthly subvention of about N480million was spent on recurrent expenditure was unsustainable. He expressed concern over the bogus wage bill of the university and the need for its  leadership to be prudent in the use of funds.

    But investigations by the Niger Delta Report indicated that the students are angry with the governor accusing him of trying to privatize the only university in the state.

    Jeremiah is a student of Biological Science Department. Following the strike, he turned to vending newspapers on the streets of Yenagoa for survival. “Since there is no job for us (students), I have to go to the streets. I am now a vendor. I hawk newspapers for ends to meet’’, he said.

    He also said it was wrong for the governor to relinquish the financial commitments of the state government to NDU. He said sending the management of the university to revenue-generating spree would make the school unaffordable and inaccessible to Bayelsans. He said such attempt would place heavy financial burdens on the students, many of whom came from poor backgrounds.

    “It is a state university. That alone means that it needs to be taken care of by its owner. It is not a private school, neither is it a federal school. Hence, by law the state should fund it.

    “NDU can generate 20% of its required resource. It can actually get funds from hostel fees. The school workshop that can also produce furniture for sales and the school football team can go out for competitions, but it would not be enough to sustain the needs of the school’’, he said.

    He further said that NDU would be extinct if the government stuck to its gun that it must fund itself. “Bayelsa is a developing state. We know the governor wants to make NDU self-sufficient but his approach is drastic and irrational.

    “We cannot start building a house from the roof. He has to share his vision, ideas, and strategies to the workers, then they can work with him”.

    To Angilia, a student of the Department of English and Literary studies, asking the school to fund itself in a state where the government has no strong Internally-Generated Revenue (IGR) base was an indirect way of keeping the school permanently closed.

    She said: “The Strike has delayed our academic calendar. By now we should have gone far. Now we sit at home with no hope of going back to school. I have therefore resorted to menial jobs. I do house-keeping for a staff’s quarter of one engineering firm.

    “it is not a good time to ask a university like NDU to fund itself considering the present economic crisis. While we were still in school, some students could not meet up with their financial demands. This new IGR drive will definitely lead to increase in fees that will consequently lead to dropouts. We appeal to the Bayelsa Governor to put himself in the shoes of the workers and students and work a way out”.

    Another student of the Department of Political Science, Gesi, said it was impossible for NDU to fund itself. He said the school required time to grow and develop to the level of catering for its financial needs.

    Gesi, who said he resorted to performing in shows for survival, added that any attempt to shift the financial burden to the school management would have adverse effects on the students, their parents and the state’s education.

    He wondered why the governor was talking about financial autonomy at a period he declared emergency in education.

    “NDU would need more time to fund itself. This new IGR drive will be a weapon to ruin the purse of parents and the destruction of the academic pursuit of the student. Fees will be increased and eventually faculties that cannot meet up financially will be scrapped.

    ‘’Within this short period, I have heard of robbery cases and also a murder case that involved the students of NDU. I therefore appeal to both parties, the school authorities and the government, to reconsider their stand”, he said.

    While Eto, a student of the Department of Computer Science asked the governor to jettison his plan, Emmanuel of the Department of History and Philosophy said: “The strike has not been anything close to positive as it has awarded me an automatic extra year in the institution.

    “We Niger Delta University will need time to generate enough funds. We appeal to the governor to do his duty by paying the workers of NDU to enable us return to school”.

    Furthermore, workers in NDU said it was hypocritical and illusory for the governor to have asked the university to fund itself when Bayelsa as a state could not generate internal revenue to sustain itself.

    The workers vowed to keep the university shut until the state Governor, Dickson, pays them four out of the about seven-month salaries he owes them.

    The aggrieved employees under the auspices of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT),  and the Non Academic Staff of Universities (NASU), took the decision in a meeting they held recently in Yenagoa.

    The angry workers also warned the government against any plan to sack any of them insisting that they would only return to work after the full payment of their four-month salaries. The chairmen of SSANU, Mr. Fakidouma Wilcox; NAAT, Mr. Dienagha Ekepet, and NASU, Mr. Kenneth Akpafegha of NASU, attended the meeting.

    The unions said: “We frown at the state governor’s decision to pay academic staff and technical workers of the university while vowing not to pay the senior and junior staff until the workforce is downsized.

    “Going by the National University Commission (NUC) employment ratio of 4:1 in the university, NDU is understaffed. Therefore, the governor should not think of downsizing as his action will be met with a brick wall.

    “We will not suspend the sit-at-home order until at least four months salaries are paid in full to our members and we will withdraw our members on essential duties after one week if the government does not comply.

    “We wonder why a government who has been boasting of declaring a state of emergency in the educational sector should allow the death of the only state university in the state which has so far turned out over 14,882 graduates since its inception thereby changing the educational fortunes of the state as an educationally-disadvantaged state.”

    But the governor said he had released funds for the payment of the workers’ January salaries and called on them to suspend their strike. Dickson who spoke through his Commissioner for Information, Mr. Jonathan Obuebite, said the government was commuted to the welfare and the development of NDU.

    He said: “The Bayelsa State Government has met its agreement of releasing 100% of the January salary to ASUU, NASU and graduate assistants as requested by the unions. So, as we speak, that payment has been made.

    “We are all aware that NDU is our pet project, as it is the only state-owned university. So, this government is committed to the welfare of the academic and non-academic staff, as well as the students community of NDU. We want our students to return to school and pursue their academics.”

  • Imo workers to get three months’ salaries 

    Imo workers to get three months’ salaries 

    •Governor orders immediate payment

    It was cheery news for Imo State workers yesterday as Governor Rochas Okorocha ordered the immediate payment of outstanding April, May and June salaries.

    The directive followed a meeting between the governor and top government functionaries, including directors of accounts, treasurers, permanent secretaries, leaders of Imo Council of Elders and Transition Committee chairmen at the Government House in Owerri, the state capital, on Friday night.

    A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo, after the meeting, said: “This is to inform Imo people and, indeed, all the personnel in the state’s workforce in particular, that Governor Okorocha has directed that the salaries for the months of April, May and June be paid before next Friday (July 8) and gave a marching order to the directors of Accounts in the ministries, local governments, and so on, to meet with the Accountant-General of the state immediately to work out the salaries of workers up to the month of June.

    “The governor also warned that this period should be the last time salaries would be owed in the state and assured that henceforth, salaries of workers in the state would be paid as at when due as it was the case before now. To avoid confusion and delay in the payment of salaries for the aforementioned months, the governor also directed that they could be paid within intervals of one or two days.”

    The statement added: “A committee to monitor the prompt payment of salaries in the state was also set up and the committee would be meeting with the directors of Accounts and Accountant-General on the 10th of every month to work on salaries and ensure prompt payment.

    “The governor equally explained that the 70 and 30 per cent revenue sharing formula between Labour and government in the state does not mean that workers would get only 70 per cent of salaries at the end of each month.

    “The governor said the workers could even get more than their salaries, depending on what the 70 per cent Labour gets would give them at the end of each month; it could at times get their exact salaries or otherwise, also depending on what the 70 per cent would give to Labour.

    “He said it would be wrong to use the 70 per cent agreement to peg the monthly salaries of workers at 70 per cent because Labour’s 70 per cent could give the workers either 100 per cent or 80 per cent or 70 per cent or less per cent of their individual salaries, depending on what Labour gets each month.

    “In paying the three months’ salary arrears, the governor warned that anybody found playing pranks will be punished accordingly; he reiterated that nobody in the state’s workforce should be owed.”

    On revenue collection in the state, the statement said: “The governor also directed that no government appointee, including commissioners, Transition Committee chairmen and so on, should issue authorisation letter or give permission to anybody or agency or company for the collection of revenue.

    “He cautioned that anybody that goes contrary to this directive will be fired.

    “He, therefore, cancelled any previous agreement anybody or group or company must have had with the government on the collection of revenue.

    “The governor also informed that arrangements have been made to clear pensions owed before the agreement on revenue sharing formula between government and Labour, while the technical committee handling the agreement would take care of pensions from the month of February when the agreement came into force.

    “His Excellency once again appealed to Imo people to always know that all his actions and inactions are in the best interest of the state and its people. He concluded that history and posterity will be fair to him because he meant well for the state.”

  • Ondo workers call off strike

    Organized labour in Ondo State including workers in the employ of the state government have suspended their one month old strike.

     The leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) in the state resolved to suspend the strike after a marathon meeting held with the state Governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko which lasted for four days.

     Workers in the state had embarked on an indefinite strike following the non payment of their five months salaries by the state government.

     The Chairman of the Joint Negotiation Council (JNC) in the state, Mr Sunday Adeleye who announced the suspension of the strike, stressed the need for the state government to honour the agreement reached with the workers, which led to the suspension of the strike.

     While the chairmen of NLC, Mrs Bosede Daramola, TUC Chairman  Mr Soladoye Ekundayo and JNC, Mr Sunday Adeleye signed the agreement on behalf of the labour, the state’s Head of Service; Mr Tony Akinkuotu, Commissioner for Finance, Mr Yele Ogundipe; Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Eyitayo Jegede (SAN) signed on behalf of the state government.

     It was resolved that the January 2016 salary be paid in full immediately to all staff in the main stream civil service, parastatals, Hospital Management Board, Teaching Service Commission, state pensioners, all local government staff and primary school teachers.

    The parties also resolved that the March 2016 salary be immediately paid in full to primary school teachers and local government staff on Grade Level 01-10.

     It was also agreed that the February 2016 salary be paid in full to all health workers, while the judiciary workers should be paid January and February salaries.

    The JNC Chairman said they also agreed that subsequent salaries should be made as number one priority from the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), Statutory Allocations, budget support loans, refund reimbursement and other sources.

  • Oyo council boss urges striking workers to dialogue with govt

    The Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria in Oyo State, Hon. Yekeen Popoola, yesterday appealed to striking state civil servants to dialogue with the government over salary arrears being owed them.

     The workers had embarked on an industrial action last month over unpaid salaries.

     Popoola, in a statement yesterday, appealed to the workers to show understanding by embracing dialogue to enable the state and labour leaders come up with an amicable resolution to the crisis.

     The council boss said crises are always resolved through roundtable no matter how tough, stressing that an amicable resolution will bring benefits to the two sides.

     According to him, thinking and executing together in an atmosphere of peace and understanding will help both the government and the workers deliver on their mandate to serve the people well.

     Popoola, who is the chairman of Irepo Local Government, urged workers and labour leaders to see beyond the current financial crisis, saying there are better days ahead of the state.

     He called on all stakeholders not to lose hope because the Governor Abiola Ajimobi administration is up to the task of surmounting the challenge and bring smiles to the faces of the people of the state in no time.

     

  • Council chief seeks workers’ co-operation

    The Sole Administrator of Apapa Iganmu Local Council Development Area, Mr. Olumide Olayomi has sought the support of the council’s management and staff.
    He made the appeal in during his maiden meeting with workers at the council’s secretariat in Ijora, even as he urged them to be alive to their responsibilities and to always lead by example. According to him, his mission was to move the council forward in terms of provision of essential facilities that would make life better for residents. He enjoined the workers to co-operate with him in order to achieve the council’s objectives.
    While urging them to be committed to their duties in the face of the onerous task ahead, he said: “I need your co-operation and that of the entire staff to make life better for the entire council. I think we can win together.”
    The council chief later proceeded on a familiarisation tour of the council; visiting the Ojora of Ijora/Badiya, Oba Fatai Aromire.
    The Head of Administration of the council, Mr Nurudeen, thanked the council chief for his advice, promising that the management team and the entire staff will co-operate with him in order to make his tenure a rewarding one.

  • Ngige: why we asked banks not to sack workers

    Ngige: why we asked banks not to sack workers

    Minister of Labour and Employment Chris Ngige has said the government directed the banks to stop terminating the appointment of their staff to ensure industrial peace in the sector.

    The minister dismissed the impression that the government was interfering in the running of private businesses in the country, adding that the nation’s constitution and labour laws allow the him to intervene in such disputes to ensure harmony in the system.

    Speaking at a public hearing organised by the Senate Committee on Banking and Finance, the minister said denied claims that he threatened to withdraw the licenses of banks, pointing out that what he only did was to direct all parties in the emerging disputes to maintain statuesque, while opting for dialogue.

    He said the government was in receipt of petitions from the unions in the Financial sector which border on unwholesome practices, the height of which was mindless retrenchment as the immediate reason for his intervention, directing all the parties; the bank employers and the unions to maintain the statuesque ante-bellum.

    He said: “We are not interfering in their business. They are there to make money and protect their investments and nobody is against this. But don’t forget that individual Nigerians are also investors in these banks. So they are not the only investors. I have my own shares in these banks and they pay me dividends, which I am pleased with.

    “However, I will not be party to drawing dividends on the blood of helpless Nigerians. The banks can save some of these low cadre jobs by re-adjusting the heavy perks at its top management cadre. We pleaded same with the major oil companies and it worked.

    “We intervened in the spirit of collective bargaining. We got petitions from NUBIFE on casualization, contract staffing, poor remunerations which is not in conformity with equal work, equal pay in our constitution, ill human conditions of service, rampant termination without due compensation and resistance to unionization contrary to section 40 of the constitution.

    “We investigated these claims and found them to be true in some banks. We invited the concerned banks; they gave excuses on why they won’t honour the invitation while they continued with retrenchments.

    “I know my rights as Minister of labour and I will exercise those rights for the benefits of Nigerians, high and low. It is within my power to declare a truce in any industrial crisis. That was why I asked the banks; don’t retrench further and the unions; don’t picket the banks so we can sit down to resolve the issues. The labour law on redundancy says in article 20 that if you negotiate redundancy and a party is dissatisfied, the Minister has the right to intervene.

    “The law makes provision for the employer to disengage a worker if he cannot actually run his enterprise efficiently and effectively with a big load of staff in which case, he will declare redundancy.

    “But it also states clearly the process for doing this. It says you must engage the labour unions in that industry and if it gets out of hand, the local unions will report to their national union. If they can’t resolve this, the parties, unions or the banks will refer it to the Minister of labour for conciliation.”

    He said the constitution and the labour laws as well as to safeguard the interests of all parties while ensuring peaceful industrial milieu for enhanced productivity in the sector.

    “The constitution is the supreme law of the land. The constitution is aware that we are in a society where all of us will not be equal and that everybody must be protected – big and small. That is why in sections 14, 15 and 16 and even 17, it protects the employer, the economy and the workers.

    “It is from these provisions that the National Assembly enacted the labour laws to guide all of us on how to deal with the issues of employment. So, all that my ministry has done is to execute and protect these laws from infractions. I acted in good faith to protect the interest of all.”

    Speaking on unionization in the banks, the Minister said the only institution in the Financial sector where staff are exempted from unionization is the Central Bank and that no other bank in the country had the right to prevent its staff from forming a union.

    “Unionization according to the constitution and labour laws is the right of workers. There are exemptions and the institutions that are exempted are clearly listed. Here, it is only the Central Bank that is exempted in the banking sector. And the law says again that the Minister of labour in his wisdom can grant a waiver to any institution. I have not granted waver to any bank and I will not grant such”.

    The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Banking and Finance, Senator Rafiu Ibrahim, hailed the minister for his proactive intervention and gave firm support to his decision on dialogue with all social partners as the only option to the peaceful resolution of the industrial disagreement in the sector.

    “I sincerely commend the federal government for being willing to work with the banks to find a common solution to this issue of retrenchment, which affects almost every family in Nigeria. I am grateful that all of us have all agreed to dialogue and I implore you to do justice to all issues before the stakeholders’ summit is convened in July. I therefore appeal to everybody to be humble and to be open in our different positions at the talks”.

    “I am happy with the explanation of the Hon. Minister on the issue of bank licences, that he did not threaten that the Federal Government would withdraw their licenses; that it was a case of misrepresentation. That gives a convivial atmosphere for all the social partners to freely dialogue and peacefully resolve all issues.”